DIGGER27
In Memory Of
Still doing a bunch of research and review reading but think I have it narrowed down to 3 choices.
#1. Tesoro compadre with 8" coil. Inexpensive and a decent machine for finding jewelry at parks and tot lots. Simple and was ready to pull the trigger on one but read you loose quite a bit of depth when thumbing the disc knob on targets so really I would have to set disc around iron and dig everything. The depth loss when thumbing disc issue gave rise to my second choice.....
#2 Tesoro Mojave... A mid ground between my first and third choice. Not a huge amount of info I can find on this one since its so new. Anyone know if this is running the same electronics as the compadre? If its a more powerful compadre and just as sensitive to small gold etc but without the thumbing disc depth loss issue then maybe this one will serve me well. Im in central Illinois so Im guessing the ground is decent but would have the high ground mineralization switch just incase I ever travel to areas with exposed bedrock or bad soil conditions. Just have to figure out if these extra features are worth the price difference over the compadre.
#3 Garrett AT Pro. 2x the price of the mojave and over 3x of the compadre although I know it wont find me 3x the amount of targets it appeals to me because of the multiple tones and could reference the display info to help me while im learning. Might be better suited for fields than small tot lots though so maybe I will just stick with one of the above and if I stay in the hobby can pick this up later as a second machine for deeper coins or relics in large fields with not alot of trash.
Any recommendations between the compadre and mojave?
Sorry for being so indecisive but will be ordering this upcoming fri so still have a week to narrow it down. My boy is ready to go. Got him a tracker 4 , headphones, digging knife, and a couple pro pointers ordered. Hes waiting on me now to get my machine.
I used the older 7" coil Compadre for several years and hundreds of hours.
Turned up the sense internally to just about max, never had a problem with instability or noise.
My jaw dropped on my first hunt and it never came up.
I loved it so much I started The Church of the Compadre.
http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=87892
I used it in great soil out west and here in the SE. with pretty rough mineralized iron infested devil dirt...found a ton in both states.
Paid $110 for mine used...it paid me back over ten times that in coins, silver and gold.
Out west it could get to the 6-7" depth range on coins, here it lived mostly at 3-4"...got to maybe 5" in moist soil when the conditions were right.
This year I traded a detector away that I had great history with but didn't work as well in this bad dirt as another I own so I got a new coil for my prime detector and on a whim a new Mojave.
I didn't expect much, I would have been happy with just one more inch in depth over that Compadre but I got much more.
Handles this bad ground extremely well, easily getting at least 2-4" more on coins over my Compadre without even having to max out the gain.
On bigger relics I am getting closer to 10" and might go even further on both kinds of targets.
Just as sensitive to small targets and chains as my Compadre.
Target separation in iron and trash is just as good if not better.
Still double beeps on targets near, next to or even leaning on big metal.
Have not even had to use the high mineralization setting yet.
Very little noise on higher gain but if I get some I just turn it down and it becomes silent but still deep and deadly.
The Mojave is not just a souped up Compadre according to the factory, different electronics give it all the great Compadre DNA plus more.
A lot more from what I am seeing.
http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=247443
http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=247563
http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=248998
http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=249307
I have not picked up my Compadre to hunt in the dirt since I got the Mojave and don't plan to again.
The Compadre is still too good to get rid of and we have too much history together so I will convert it to a waterproof hunter and it will live on.
If price is an issue pound for pound not much better value than the Compadre out there still, if you got the extra money go for the Mojave.
You won't be sorry.
BTW...I also have a higher end unit as my prime, an F70.
Still love to switch back to my Tesoros a lot for a change of pace, fun and profit.
Many start out low end and eventually upgrade.
Many start with the mid to high end...they all find metal, it is just about what you are comfortable with.
I have always said for the price no matter what you hunt with you are crazy not to have a Compadre in the arsenal also even if you only use it sparingly.
It just does a few things effortlessly that much higher end detectors can struggle with.
I have amended that and added the Mojave along with the Compadre to that recommendation now.
For many that started with a Compadre they still kept them if they advanced to higher end tools so like a great specialty coil you can't go wrong with a quality lower end starter unit.
Like me many still go back to them more often than you might think because what works, works.
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